Meggido Unearthed
Meggido Unearthed
"Meggido Unearthed" was the First Campaign I ever GM'ed. The game features a developing plot, that I tried to make original. The setting behind "Meggido Unearthed" is at first a group of Medeival Adventurers trapped in a well cavern, but it grows to a fully fledged Space-Age-steam-punk-world. The comedy level can vary, but it should be fairly humorous to start with. The game can be played with any number of players, and should be played with as much Pepsi/beer or Cheetos/pretzels on stock.
First of all, the game features the 10 dice per character rule, (with 4 dice maximum to any Cliche). A standard character might be:
Name: John Lemons
Description: A warrior from an academy, in which they are taught to hate among all things, and pump iron (Literally, they all gather around an Iron Pump and raise iron to the surface together at noon).
Cliches: Warrior (4), Jerk (3), Iron Pumper (3)
Hook: John Lemons cannot insult worth a dime.
Game Session 1: Introduction
Act 1: Virtual Trapped in a Well
The game starts with the characters trapped underneath a well, in a small cavern with a pile of weird metal rubble next to them. If they attempt to escape, deny them their escape. Give one of the characters (whichever one you see fit) a simple rusty bronze dagger to start with. They also have a weird letter, with strange runes written on it, that none of the characters understand. Have them attacked by a group of Goblins/other basic enemy (3) each. This should be a fairly easy fight for any character who has more than 3 for any cliche whatsoever. Then give them a series of challenges or obstacles they will try to solve for target numbers. Don't make them too hard yet. Eventually, have them open a portcullis, where they step into a well chamber.
Suddenly, the portcullis will slam shut behind them, and the water levels are being steadily raised. Have them fight a random squid being, as the water races to the top.
Name: Squid
Description: A bottom feeder from the bottom of the well. It likes to eat adventurers as soon as the portcullis is slammed shut.
Cliches: Telekinetic (3), Squid (3), Vampire (2), Awful Poet (2)
Hook: Squid is very large and cannot actually fit through the well itself, so he usually winds up having to go to the bottom again.
The idea is that after about 5 rounds of combat (With increasing intensity) the characters will be sitting on a raft, fighting the squid back, rising to the top, and then they will escape the squid, after much excitement.
Act 2: Shampshony
The characters wake up in the Dutch village of Shampshony, where the Shampshons are dancing around (The women half naked if need be) and the people use the "Shampshon" Or $h as it's abbreviated to. Have them spend a few days exploring the game world, until on the third or fourth day, a magician named Blaine David appears in the town.
Name: Blaine David
Description: A road sorcerer who likes roads and fire and roads and women.
Cliches: Fire Mage (4), Cultist (4), Traveller (2)
Hook: None
The characters go to the Blaine David fair, where Blaine David walks on water, and summons a demon (5) have the characters fight the demon for possesion of a cog ship (Remember, they're allowed to use teaming up and pumping in this battle, so it shouldn't be impossible if they're playing with all they've got). After the characters beat the demon, they get the ship.
After they get the ship and finish naming it, they meet a strange dice block that seems to be on fire, which has two rings circling it. It says:
"I am the Die Caster, the administrator of all fate, and the one who controls the power of the Judgement Dice. I bestow upon you this power. We shall meet again".
And vanishes, giving the characters one die booster, which will raise one cliche by one point. (If any of you have played the PS2 RPG "Shadow Hearts" or any of it's sequels, it will be glaringly obvious that this concept is a rip-off.)
Game Session 2: The Earth Orb
Act 3: To Izuka!
After having received the ship and their dice booster, the party suddenly realizes that as useful as their ship is, they only have accurate navigation charts to one place: the islands of Izuka. If the party refuses to leave Shampshony, the best thing to do is to let them get away with it for about 12 minutes or so, but then somehow work it in so that they wind up committing a crime, and they have to leave Shampshony.
The characters will go to Izuka, and they will disembark and walk around the village. At a pub, they will meet a shady man at the corner of a pub. The man introduces himself as Master Sensai.
Name: Master Sensai
Description: A Mysterious Masterful Sensai
Cliches: Powerful Sorcerer (6), Sensai (3), Traveller (3)
"I am Master Sensai, the great magician. I have a quest for you. You see, at one point I had four orbs, each one a very powerful item of magic. Each of these orbs corresponded to one of four elements, Earth, Fire, Wind and Water. I had four students, one in each of these schools of magic. After several years of me teaching them how to use magic, they ungratefully attacked me with all the skills they had learned, and stole my four orbs. If you could get them all back for me, I would pay you well. The first orb is in this village... I will be back to see you then."
And then Master Sensai leaves. The party should search around for the first orb somewhere, until they eventually are driven to searching through a graveyard, where they are attacked by a zombie (3)! After fighting the zombie, it crumples up to a wall, and reveals a hidden passageway.
Act 4: Defeating the Sorcerer!
The party walks into the secret passageway, where they should encounter roughly three or four earth based obstacles or enemies, which they should pass fairly easily.
In the last chamber, the party meets Vale, the Sorcerer of Earth.
Name: Vale
Description: A Sorcerer of Earth who uses two staffs as weapons.
Cliches: Earth Sorcerer [3], Dual Wielder (4)
The sorcerer of earth has a double pump cliche, (Earth Sorcerer) which means that when he pumps his cliche dice, he gets two extra dice for the price of one on the next turn (See the Risus Rulebook section on pumping cliches).
After this epic battle, the characters obtain his earth orb, and return to the sensai, who gives them 50 Izu Izu each. This money can be spent at weapons stores for more weapons, and for healing or other items of use.
In wrapping up the second game session, the characters meet the Die Caster again, who says:
"I told you we would meet again, and so I the die caster, immortal holder of all fate in the universe... and something about the will of the judgement dice. Give me a break, have your die boosters."
And disappears, giving the players 1 die booster each.
Game Session 3: The Water Orb!
Act 5: Travel to Nordia!
The party is told by the master sensai that they have to get the water orb next, which is in Nordia. After several days of rest, they set out for their voyage.
The party travels through the seal infested waters towards nordia, (They are attacked by a group of seals (4) on the way). As they disembark, they are attacked by a group of Viking Snowmen, with axes and snow bodies (5)!.
The party should explore around the land of Nordia. They walk down a road until they find a lamp post.